This disclosure relates to catheter cuffs, and more specifically to catheter cuffs whose position can be relocated by an operator.
Many types of catheters are indicated for short or long term access into a body. In the context of human medicine this includes monitoring of internal pressure, e.g., pulmonary blood pressure, blood sampling, nutrition and administration of drugs and fluids.
One type of catheter that is used for long term access is a tunneled catheter that passes through a length of subcutaneous tissue prior to entering the site to which access is desired, e.g., a blood vessel. This can be done by first gaining access to the desired site e.g., the internal jugular vein or subclavian vein, through the skin. A second incision site through the skin is then created spaced apart from the first access site. The catheter is then tunneled through the subcutaneous tissue between the first and second incision sites and is inserted into the previously-accessed desired site in the body. This locates the external portion of the catheter away from the first access site, perhaps to a location more convenient or otherwise preferable for the patient or physician.
In some cases, the catheter includes a tissue ingrowth body on the external surface of the catheter to promote subcutaneous tissue to incorporate around the ingrowth body to fix the catheter in place and to block pathogens from migrating along the length of the catheter into the body. For example, a fiber cuff can be glued to the catheter shaft 1 cm to 13 cm away from the catheter manifold.
Permanently gluing the cuff in place on the catheter during manufacture limits the uses an individual catheter can be used for and places limitation on the use of the catheter as the length of tunneling will be dictated by the amount of catheter remaining after placement in the desired site in the body, and a physician cannot always accurately predicte how much catheter length will be required to reach a desired location. Once properly located, the physician will not want to move the tip of the catheter, and a physician will not want to change out an inserted catheter with a new catheter with a different cuff location to accommodate tunneling.